The Letter
by CanzetYote
Summary: Oneshot. After an incident warranting a time out on his birthday, Tiger feels hurt and is reduced to tears. Zach feels sorry for Tiger and makes an attempt to console him.


**NOTE:** _For some reason, I'm getting a tad obsessed with hurt-comfort Tiger-angst at the moment. No trigger warning for this one unlike the other, just a lot of tear jerky fluff._

Tiger sat alone in a pitch black room, only illuminated by the dim light of a birthday candle on a slice on cake. Across the table sat his beloved teddy bear Poom who had a party hat strapped to his head. Judging by his red, bruised, irritated eyes and tear tracks on his muzzle, Tiger had clearly been crying for quite some time and had also experienced a beating by a certain possum beforehand. He drew in a deep breath and slowly shook his head, "I don't get it, Poom. I just don't get it. How could they yell at me on my birthday? Why am I in time out? Marvin doesn't understand, Jerry doesn't understand, Jessica definately doesn't understand and I doubt Zach understands as well. So why were they all so mad at me?"

There was no response from the stuffed animal. Tiger felt a big, salty tear trail down his snout and drip off his nose onto his table as he choked back a sob, "I know...I pigged out and g...got punched in the face when I called Jessica mangy and tried to bite her but..." The dog paused to sniffle a bit and drag his paw across his nose, "She was trying to take f-food from me...and...and I have food aggression."

More silence from Poom. "Y...yeah. Maybe you're right. But I AM the birthday boy so if I WANT to eat, then I GET to eat."

The teddy bear didn't speak a word yet the delusional dog continued to converse with it, "Jessica...said some pretty mean things to me. Called me a psychopath, told me that I should be locked up. Even heard her mumble something about shock collars to keep me in line."

Again no response was to be had as rivers of tears began streaming down Tiger's face, "I...I'm not crazy! I...I...even Marvin yelled at me...I couldn't even say sorry...all I did was just...stare at them like a deer in the headlights...I...I...m...maybe J-j-jess was r-right...oh, Poom...why am I so screwed up?"

Tiger buried his face in his paws and began to cry again softly. On the other side of the door, Zach was listening in to Tiger's monologue. The rabbit's heart sank and he actually felt sorry for his insensitive, food-obsessed brother. Zach could feel a salty tear of his own rolling down his nose as he hung his head. He stared down at the envelope in his paw and took a deep breath. Kneeling down, the rabbit slowly slid the envelope under the door. Wiping his eyes, Zach mumbled softly to himself, "I'm sorry you didn't have a very happy birthday, Tiger..."

Tiger's ears perked up at the sound of the envelope sliding under the door. He slowly got up from his chair and walked over to the door. Flicking on the light switch, the canine's eyes were drawn to the paper lying on the floor that said "To Tiger". Blinking the tears out of his eyes, Tiger knelt down and picked up the envelope and opened it. He pulled out a paper that was written neatly in cursive and his eyes began scanning across the contents of the paper. It read:

 _Dear Tiger,_

 _I'm sorry you were sent to time out during your birthday. While you were alone, I had a talk with Marvin and he told me everything. Tiger, I know how obnoxious you can be, how scary you can be and how lazy you can be but you're still my brother and I love you from the bottom of my heart. I remember just how frightened I was of you the first time we met but now I know just how sad, scared, confused and lonely you are. All that bullying you've endured over the years must have been incredibly painful. I know I'd be damaged too if I went through the same thing._

 _Marvin told me of all the times you cried yourself to sleep at night because of the way Bino treated you. The way he'd shove you down at the park, pour milk all over you, make you eat rotten fish, force you to use the sandbox as a litterbox and force you into a cat costume while the other dogs laughed and pointed at you. When I heard of just how badly you were treated, I felt sick to my stomach. I wish I could just go back in time and do something to prevent all that bullying. No one deserves that, not even you._

 _Tiger, I'm so sorry I haven't been as understanding of you as I should have been. I've been so wrapped up in my own problems that I can be pretty selfish myself. I know we got off on the wrong foot but after hearing about your struggles, I honestly wish to be your friend. If you ever feel upset about something, you can always talk to Marvin or me and if you need to cry, just let it all out. I'll try to help Jessica be more understanding of you and your problems. For better or for worse, I couldn't ask for a better brother._

 _PS: The pizza coupon at the bottom of this letter is all yours._

 _Your brother, Zach._

Tiger peered down at a coupon for all-you-can-eat pizza at the bottom of Zach's letter and he felt his heart slowly melting. He let out a soft, high-pitched whimper and opened his door to see Zach smiling at him, "Happy birthday, Tiger." It was all too much for the dog to take in. No one had ever written a letter so touching and heartfelt to him in his life.

"Thank you so so so so SO much!" Tiger abruptly burst out sobbing, warm tears rolling down his muzzle from his eyes to his nose as he wrapped his arms around Zach and pulled him into the tightest hug he could muster. The rabbit began coughing a bit in the embrace. He was honestly shocked at just how strong Tiger was despite the fact that all he did was watch TV and chow down on junk food all day. Tiger's hug actually felt more like an anaconda's squeeze than anything.

Immediately, Tiger released Zach from the hug and the rabbit fell to the floor, coughing and gasping for breath, "Y...you're...wel...come."

"Sorry." Tiger smiled, wiping his joyful tears from his muzzle, "It's just that...no one's ever come out and told me that before. I'm so happy someone finally understands. Also, FREE PIZZA COUPON!"

"Y...yeah." Zach coughed a bit, "So Tiger, are we friends?"

"Of course we are, Zach!" Tiger smirked, "By the way, I'm sorry that I was so jealous of you in the beginning. Honestly, I thought you would replace me and I'd be left all alone."

"Well, there's no way Marvin and I are gonna let that happen. Besides, it's all water under the bridge." Zach replied, giving Tiger a bunny-hug of his own, "You don't have to worry about being abandoned and if Bino does anything mean to you, I just want you to know that Marvin and I have your back."

"I know." Tiger nodded with a soft sniffle.

"So have you made your birthday wish yet?" Zach asked, rubbing the dog's back a bit to comfort him.

"I don't need to make a silly birthday wish." Tiger chuckled, "This is probably the sappiest thing I'm gonna say in my life but...I'm perfectly fine with just the way things are."

"Me too, Tiger." The rabbit replied as he released the hug, "Me too."

The end.


End file.
